In Episode 102 of Red Hoop Talk host Jennifer welcomes Michael Duncan (Wintun, Maidu, Wailaki, Western Band Shoshone), founder and Executive Director of Native Dads Network, a Sacramento-based organization focused on fatherhood, wellness, and intergenerational healing. Michael shares how his own lived experience—overcoming addiction, incarceration, and disconnection from identity—shaped his commitment to building stronger Native families and restoring cultural foundations for the next generations.

Through Native Dads Network, Michael leads initiatives that center healing, accountability, and cultural identity, including the Boys With Braids program, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary, and IMPACT (Indigenous Mentors Protecting Ancestral Cultural Tribal Traditions). He reflects on the origins of this work, including his childhood ex ...